


Stay Strong

by TheFangirlChick



Series: One More Year [1]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-16
Updated: 2013-09-16
Packaged: 2017-12-26 19:25:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/969404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFangirlChick/pseuds/TheFangirlChick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been a year since Maeve died and Reid is getting the feeling someone's watching him. He begins to worry when the book Maeve gave him is stolen. Then when the unsub the team was tracking calls him he begins to question whether he was going imagining things or not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

This week started like any other week for Spencer Reid. He woke Monday morning to the ring of his cell phone, signaling that he'd received a new text. He suspected that it was from his team, telling him they had a new case. He picked up his phone, just to be sure, and with his suspicions confirmed he got up and took a quick shower, followed by him getting dress, grabbing his satchel and go bag. Spenser headed out of his apartment and towards his car, toward the BAU, towards a new case and someone else's tragedy. Spenser got in his car and closed his eyes once he was behind the wheel and saw her. Maeve. He saw in exact detail the first time he ever saw her. And as he'd already known, to him she was the most beautiful thing in the world. And he would've died for her, he'd offered himself to the unsub in exchange for Maeve. The case was closed when the unsub killed herself and Mauve in a single bullet.

As if it had been waiting for Spenser's thought to change to the end of that story, the image of Maeve was replaced with her laying in the pool of her and her killer's blood. Spenser open his eye and started driving. He made it to work fairly quickly but he still need a distraction. Spenser turned his radio on and classical music filled the car. Frustrated when this failed to distract him, Spenser changed the channel to find Tiptoe by Imagine Dragons playing. Satisfied by this distraction, he turned the radio up as he drove to work. He reached the parking lot just as the song finished and he pulled into his parking spot. Spenser turned his radio off before his car and grabbed his satchel as he exited his car. As Spenser walked towards the building he felt as if someone was watching him, but when he looked around there was no one there. Spenser kept moving, just a little faster, after that. He walked into the building and slipped into an elevator with two of his team mates, Derek Morgan and Alex Blake.

The ride up seemed to take long than usual, but maybe that was because Spenser was hyper aware that Blake and Morgan were exchanging looks behind his back. Spenser sensed a pity speech in his future, but he didn't want that. He wanted to be left alone to feel like crap in peace. Finally the doors to the elevator opened and Spenser walked to the briefing room before they could stop him to 'talk'. He sat down and waited for Blake and Morgan to sit down so the briefing could start. Morgan sat next to Spenser,where Blake usual sat, and Blake in Morgans spot.

Garcia handed out the files and said, "Hope you guys like Seattle. They've got a woman snatcher on the loose."

"A what?" Rossi asked, confused.

"Someone's been grabbing women off the streets." Garcia answered.

"So why are we being called in?" Spenser asked.

"I was really hoping you wouldn't ask that." Garcia pressed a button on a remote and two pictures of two different girls. next to that their dead bodies where they were found. there was something oddly familiar about the girls, that Spenser couldn't explain. It was right the but he couldn't figure it out. "These victim's are Jane Doe's and probably junkies. No one can identify them and they have no criminal history," Garcia continued. "And the police know of at least 2 other's that are missing. Their names are Nicole Brown and Brianna Wilson."

"How were the victim's killed?" Morgan asked.

"They both had defensive wounds and, as far as the people at the morgue can tell, their cause of death was falling down stairs and cracking their heads open." Garcia click her button again and said wounds appeared. "There are also marks on their wrists, like they'd been tied rope."

"Right," Hotch said. "Wheels up in thirty."

Reid got up and went to his desk. He opened the drawer and looked for the book Maeve had given him. When he didn't find it he checked his satchel and still didn't find it. Spenser began to panic and closed his eye's. Did he see it this morning before he came to work. He scanned through the book titles he remembered seeing that morning on the shelf and it wasn't there. He thought back father, had he slept with it by accident or place it on his nightstand? No. He put his head in his hands and thought hard. If he didn't have it who would?

"Reid?" Morgan's concerned voice came from somewhere next to him. "Are you alright?"

Spenser looked up at Morgan. "Yeah. I just can't figure out what I did with a very good book I was in the middle of reading."

"Is this your book?" Morgan held up a book Spenser remembered packing in his satchel but it wasn't the book he was looking for. It wasn't the book Maeve had given him.

"Yeah, but that not the one I was looking for." Spenser replied as he took the book Morgan was holding up back and placed it in his satchel. Maybe it's in my car."

Spenser got up and walked out, towards the elevator. The whole ride down he tried hard to keep calm. It's in the car, Spenser repeatedly told himself. But when he got to his car the passenger door was open and his go bag looked as if it had been searched. There was a note on the top of the contents. It read: I have it.

Reid closed the bad and went back toward the building, planning on asking Morgan to give him a lift to the jet, wondering who had stolen the book, the feeling that someone was watching him returned...


	2. Chapter 2

The whole ride to Seattle Spencer pretended to study the case but he was really trying to figure out who would steal his book and how they got into his car. Spencer noticed the rest of the team kept giving him funny looks, probably wondering why, if he could read 20 000 words per minute and remember every word, why he was taking so long studying the case file. He saw Morgan whisper something to Hotch and Hotch seemed surprised. Spencer put the file aside and pulled out the book Morgan had given him back, hoping the rest of the team would stop watching him. Unfortunately it had the opposite effect, which is why Spencer was extremely glad when Garcia came on the screen.

"They've found an other body." Garcia informed the team.

"Can you ask them-" Hotch started but Garcia cut him off.

"To leave the crime scene? Already have," Garcia said with a smile.

"Ok, when we land, Morgan, you and Reid you to the latest crime scene. Blake and Rossi go to the morgue and JJ and I will go to the police station." Hotch said and everyone nodded in agreement.

"Garcia out," Garcia shut the chat off and the rest of the team went back to 'discretely' watching Spencer and whispering.

When the plane landed Spencer was the first to be ready to leave and the last one off. He followed Morgan in silence to the car they were driving to the crime scene. Morgan hopped in the driver's seat so Spencer hopped in the passenger seat and pulled out his book.

"What's up kid?" Morgan asked, minutes later.

"Nothing," Spencer replied. "Why?"

"Did you find your book?" Morgan ignored the question.

"I found a note in it's place," Spencer replied.

"What?" Morgan asked.

"I went to my car and the passenger door was open and the book was gone. Why do you care?" Spencer asked a little bit harsher than necessary.

"What did the note say?" Morgan, again, ignored the question.

"It said: I have it. I repeat, why do you care?" Spencer replied.

"Because someone broke into your car and stole the book Maeve gave you. Did you recognize the writing?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah, but how did you know about the book?" Spencer demanded.

"Because when she died you carried every for like a month," Morgan replied. "And when you said you where looking for it you seemed on the verge of crying. Who wrote the note?"

"Well, I could tell you," Spencer said. "But I'm afraid that you'll say what I know anyone would if I told them. And I don't need anyone to tell me what I already know."

"And what's that?" Morgan demanded, getting slightly impatient with Spencer's attempt to confuse him.

"Something you should be able to figure out," Spencer said, not like a taunt, but simply like something he was quoting one of his books. After that they rode in silence to the latest crime scene.

"You know you can trust me and the rest of the team right?" Morgan informed rather than asked.

"Yeah, I know," Spencer replied, his voice sounding distracted as they walked toward where the body had been dumped. "He laid her down carefully which could be a sign of remorse." Spencer knelt down next to the body. "There's also blood and skin under her nail, I think, so he was trying to control them but not harm them..."

"Why would that be?" Morgan asked.

"Because they mean something to him?" Spencer offered. "Maybe an ex or someone who rejected them?"

"Maybe." Morgan replied. "What's that in her hand?"

Spencer looked at the girl's right hand and there was a piece of paper in it. Spencer pulled a glove out of his pocket and put it on then picked up the paper. He unrolled it and it read: rEId, dOES ThIs remiNd YoU of Someone? does this piss you off? you Will Lose. catch me if you can. LOVE, UnSub.

Spencer dropped the note and looked up at Morgan. "I think we have a problem."

"What?" Morgan asked.

"Are you sure?" Hotch asked. The team had reassembled at the local police station and Spencer had just told them he though the unsub who killed Maeve had a partner and about his book being stolen, though failed to mention the note being left in it's place.

"Either that or someone else really hates me," Spencer replied. "In the note the unsub was taunting me and look at the victimology. He's picking people who look like she did."

"So why strike now?" Rossi asked.

"A year ago Wednesday Maeve died." Spencer replied. "Stresser might have been Diane's death and the trigger might have been the upcoming anniversary."

"Who could her accomplice been, cause she was in a relationship and wanted you?" JJ asked.

"A family member, like a brother or cousin or something." Spencer answered.

"Where did you get all this from?" Rossi asked.

"The note has random capital letters," Spencer answered.

"That could be coincidence," Blake reasoned.

"A coincidence that just happens to spell: 'I win, you lose'?And there where two letter's left. A T and an S. S. Turner." Spencer countered. "And, just to top off the taunt, he wrote 'Love U' as well."

"You've really thought this out, haven't you?" Morgan asked.

"It's what I do," Spencer replied.

"We, unfortunately, have to profile and try to find a target based on that, not a wild guess." Hotch said, even though Spencer could tell even he could hear some logic in Spencer's work. "Reid, call Garcia and see if there are other victim's that match the victimology. It might give us an idea as to how long he's been doing this. Then start working on a geographical profile. Morgan, you and me are going to the morgue and Rossi and Blake, help Spencer."

"Well, there's us doing nothing," Rossi said to Blake after Hotch had left.

Spencer dialed Garcia's number and heard her answer, "Speak and be heard, peasant. Your tech goddess has been awaiting your call."

"Garcia, I need you to come up with a list of people who have gone missing in Seattle." Spencer said.

"Right, I need something to narrow the search," Garcia replied.

"Look at people who resemble our recent victims," Spencer offered.

"That'll work. I'll hit you back once have something," Garcia said.

"Thanks," Spencer put his phone down and waited.

"How long do you think it'll take?" Rossi asked.

"I'd say about an hour but it's Garcia so in ten maybe twenty minutes," Spencer replied as he pulled his book out of his bag and began to read.

Fifteen minutes later Hotch came back. "Why haven't you done anything yet?" He demanded.

"We're waiting on Garcia," Spencer replied as he put his book to the side and looked at his phone. "Three, two, one." The phone went off and Spencer answered, putting it in speaker mode. "What did you find?"

"Fifty-three women have been abducted over the past year. And always on the same day." Garcia informed them.

"Sunday," Spencer said.

"How did you know?" Garcia asked.

"That's the day I called Maeve," Spencer replied.

"Right, maybe we should all restart in the morning. We might all be thinking clearer, and we could all use some sleep," Hotch said.

In other words, there are no more leads except Spencer's so let's follow it tomorrow when he's had time to calm himself and find an other logical explanation, Spencer though to him self as he followed his team mates to the car and to the hotel they were staying at.

Once he arrived at his room he flopped on the bed and briefly wondered if he was nuts for thinking the note in his bag really was...

There was a knock on Spencer's door so he got up and saw an envelope that was half way under his door. He picked it up and open it. Inside was a picture of Maeve tied to the chair with a blind fold tied around her eyes, but it was definitely her. Spencer knew it was her because it was taken in the room she'd been held before he'd found her, before he'd gotten her killed.

Spencer didn't know what was going on, but he knew someone had worked with Diane, before she'd killed herself and Maeve and that this unsub seemed hell bent on rubbing it in Spenser's face that he'd gotten away.


	3. Chapter 3

Reid upended the envelope and a small note fell out. It read:

Reid,  
How do you like my my taunts? I've had a lot of fun  
messing with you as of late. Oh and say  
hello to the rest of your team for the latest victim. Her last words were:  
help me I believe. Not that I would remember. I've  
seen lots of girls get shot in the head. I've even watch  
Maeve die over and over again.  
It's to late for my latest victims. I have plans for you and your team, you'll all go down in fire. Still,  
as if you'll ever find me.  
Maeve is and was better off without you.  
~Steven Andrew Turner.  
Ps. How did a genius NOT understand my message? And she said you were the smartest person she'd ever met. Pfft. Or is it you're to much of a pet to not listen to what your boss says?

Reid dropped the note envelope and picture on the floor and ran for his phone and sent out a mass text to the team: Don't leave your rooms. Instead of waiting for an answers he put his phone on vibrate then stuffed it in his pocket with his credentials. Then grabbed his gun off the table and walked more calm back to the door. Reid raised his arm, gun in hand and pointed it at the door. Reid opened the door quickly and slowly edged forwards, his gun leaving the room first. Reid pointed it down both ends of the hall way then crept slowly down the hall towards the corner. he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket but ignored it. None of the door's seemed open the elevator wasn't in use and, when Reid opened it, empty and there was no other way the unsub could have gotten away so fast, as they were on the top floor.

Reid pulled his phone out, keeping his gun pointed down the hall. Everyone on his team at sent similar texts all stating the basic question: Why? We need to search every room up here, now. I just receive a letter from the unsub. He's up here somewhere. Reid replied. Immediately the rooms belonging to his team opened and they came out, guns first.

"Where's the note?" Hotch asked. Reid walked back down the hall and into his room. He handed Hotch the package he'd received. "We need to move now." Hotch demanded after a quick once over of the note.

The team went to work, knocking on doors, and every time someone answered they questioned them. Their alibi's seemed legitimate enough. Including one couple who had been to busy with each other to have been doing anything else.

Soon all but one door had been opened. Room 1408. They pounded on the door for a good 10 minutes before Hotch sent JJ and Morgan down to the front desk and ask who is in the room and for a key.

they returned with a key but they were told nobody was currently occupying the room. Something was bothering Reid as he scanned over the note in his head. What did he mean, you'll all go down in fire...Room 1408... The connection snapped in to place just as Morgan made to open the door.

"No!" Reid cried pulling Morgan back, only just too late. An explosion went off in the room knocking the team to the floor. There was a fire starting in the middle of the room, small at first. Tongues of fire began to creep down onto the chairs, sofa's and walls of the room, slowly engulfing the room. The team crawled down the hall and ran down the stairs, pounding the fire alarm and every door as they went. The team reached the stairs with everyone from the floor and ran down the stairs.

Only once they were outside did they realize Reid had not been with them...

*Meanwhile at the unsubs...*

So, have you seen the news?" Steven asked the woman on the other side of the phone call.

"Yeah, there's an FBI agent missing. I assume you have something to do with it?" The woman inquired.

"Something like that, yeah. Still waiting for my assistant to bring him to me, but I'm confident that I'll have him soon." As Steven said this he heard his cell phone beep and light up, signaling he'd received a text. "Oh, look, that's her now. She bringing him and he'll be here in about a half an hour. Forty-five minutes tops."

"If you harm him in any way I will kill you," The woman warned.

Steven laughed, "Well, well, well. Aren't we a little pissed off tonight?" Steven scolded.

"I'll kill you with my bare hands," The woman continued as he hadn't interrupted her.

"Don't worry," Steven gave a small, humorless laugh with a small amount of evil woven throughout. "He's not gonna die. No, just a little bit of emotional trauma. And we both know I'm more than capable of that and so much more, don't we?" Steven could practical hear her flinch on the other end of the line and laughed again.

"I swear to you, if you destroy him I will kill you and make it look like an accident. Like one of your victims fought back and won. And the whole time you'll wish you never screwed with Spencer and incurred the wraith of-" The woman screamed through the phone, anger dripping from her words, carrying how real her threat was.

"Sorry, but I really must go. My guest has just arrived and I don't want to keep him waiting." Steven interrupted with a laugh and hung up before he got up to answer the door.


	4. chapter 4

"Where's Reid?" Rossi was the first to voice what everyone had been thinking.

"He was right beside me when we... the hall," Morgan's voice trailed off...

"Did you see him while we came..." Hotch asked. The rest of the team started to either look a little panicked or worried.

"No," Morgan replied. "I thought he was right behind me."

"So he's still up there?" JJ asked.

"Or the unsubs has him." Blake pointed out. Everyone gave a slightly panicked glance at each member of the team.

"Well, at least we know who the unsub is," Rossi said as if trying to get everyone's mind off Reid.

Suddenly, Hotch's phone rang. And without glancing at who was calling, he picked it up, "Yes?"

"Are you guys sitting down?" Garcia asked on the other end of the line.

"Why? What's wrong Garcia?" Hotch clicked the speaker button.

"Well, we've just received a video..." Garcia's voice trailed off.

"Can you text it to us?" Morgan asked.

"Ok... but promise me something," Garcia pleaded.

"What?" Hotch asked, the whole team collectively wondering what she was going to ask.

"Don't make me watch it again," Garcia asked, already typing in the backround.

"Ok," Hotch agreed, and instantly there was a collective ring from each cell phone of the team. Morgan's ringtone had small part of what was probably a song he liked.. JJ's had the sound of paper's being put in a box or something like that. And Hotch's, Rossi's, and Blake's gave a simple little ring that were default on the phone. But each were different from the other's.

Naturally, passersby who had stopped to watch what was unfolding turned to stare at the team, obviously wondering what could be so important on a cell phone when a building was on fire.

"Oh my god, you lot need new ringtones," Garcia complained right before she hung up.

Simultaneously, the team opened their text messages and began to play the file Garcia had sent. On their screens was the video they had been sent while they were trying to track down Tobias Hankel. Well, the first one where the unsub was forcing Reid to chose which person should die. Only there was different audio to it. There was a male voice speaking throughout the video, replacing the original conversation between Reid and the unsub.

It said, "Do you remember this? The time you couldn't help poor young Spencer Reid. Or how about this?" The image changed to when Spencer was choking on the floor. Then he lay still, like he was repeated and kept repeating as the unsub talked.

"He almost died because you could figure out where the unsub was, let alone why he was acting the way he was." The voice laughed. "You didn't even know it was only one unsub for a time. And now, it's happened again. You didn't know Diane had a partner. You didn't know I would for Spencer. But Spencer did. He tried to warn you, but you wouldn't listen. Do you guys remember this?" On their phones was picture of Spencer's face after Diane shot her self, killing Maeve as well.

"See the pain you caused from not solving the unsub's riddles fast enough? You didn't work hard enough. This happens to each and every family of each and every victim you failed to save. Each person affected by your failures pulled this face at one time or an other and they will continue to do so."

The image cut to one where Spencer was fighting to get free of some rope that tied him to a chair, screaming something at someone off camera. He turned his attention to the camera and kept screaming something, something directed at the team. Then it went back to the picture of Reid breaking down.

"This will be the face each and every one of you, all of you other six on his team, will pull when you find Reid's dead and broken body carelessly tossed in some random garbage bin, like the piece of murdering filth he is." The voice promised. "I will, however, give you five minute's to find us. It's eleven-fifty-five now. You have until midnight to find my location. I have already given you the address. Good-night.''

The video shut off and the whole team was left staring blankly at their cell phones. Morgan was the first to recover. He called Garcia.

"Yes?" Garcia asked, her tone implying that if it had anything to do with her watching the little 5 minutes of terror, she would destroy them when they got home.

"Hey, I need you to find out what Reid was screaming in the video. Can you do that?" Morgan asked nicely, pleading with the tech queen.

"But you guys promised!" Garcia complained, but Morgan still heard typing backround.

"No, Hotch promised," Morgan replied and heard Garcia give a weak laugh.

"It's an address. And the typing you just heard?" Garcia paused. "That was me texting it to you." Their phones went off once again. "I sent it through my computer the first time I went through it. Oh, and there was more than the address."

"What?" Rossi asked, basically summing up what everyone was thinking, and, for some, a more censored way of putting things.

"He said, 'Don't do it guys. He's baiting you. Just wait. I can hold on.' And by how the video stopped, I can tell your unsub wasn't too happy about it," Garcia said and then added, "Now, if you have no more use for me, I think I'll go look at some picture of a rainbow, kitten, and some funny videos. Bring Reid home please. Preferably with all of you in one piece. Garcia, watching kittens." With that, Garcia hung up.

"So, what do we do?" JJ asked.

"We wait until tomorrow and hope that Reid knew what he was talking about," Morgan replied, before stalking off towards the cars.

The rest followed him followed him after exchanging a look that clearly read, 'What the hell?'

"What do you mean we wait?" Blake asked as they got closer to the parking lot.

"Reid told us to wait. We need to trust him," Morgan replied, then added as they reached the car, "Is this guy fucking kidding me right now?" Everyone's suitcase were sitting by the cars, along with Reid's satchel.

"Well, we know what the meaning of this is," Rossi declared.

"And that would be...?" Hotch asked.

"That we have the right address and someone's trying to help us," Rossi replied. "So now we wait."


	5. Chapter 5

At The Unsubs

"That was quite the stunt you pulled," Steven told Reid. "You better hope your friends don't come." Steven was holding Reid the way Diane had held Maeve right before she committed suicide.

"Well, we have 5 minutes to find out," Reid said. "Tell me something, why take me? You had the whole team there, why me?"

"Because you're emotionally involved in this," Steven answered.

"Yeah, I was. Then Maeve died," Reid replied.

"Yeah, but 'Death ends a life, not a relationship,' said Mitch Albom," Steven countered.

"Yeah, but there's a point where you just have to move on," Reid said. "And it's not like that was much of a relationship. All we did was talk on the phone."

"So, you've moved on to someone else?" Steven questioned.

"No." Reid kept his tone casual, but he was wondering, 'Why does he care so much?'

"Would you tell me if you had?" Steven asked.

"Probably not," Reid replied. "But you can check my phone if you don't believe me."

They sat in silence for a couple of seconds. Steven had sat down, pulling Reid with him. "Where is it?" Steven asked.

"Assuming I didn't drop it when I saved my friends or was kidnapped, it should be in my pocket. Want me to get it?" Reid offered. He kept wondering, 'Why is he so interested in me? Of all people, me. Why... What if...?'

"Yes," Steven said as if they were friends sharing secrets. Reid reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He handed it over.

"Are you with someone?" Reid asked.

"No, not for a year, I haven't," Steven replied idly as he flipped through Reid's contacts.

"Did you like your sister very much?" Reid asked.

"Well... Wait, how did you know Diane was my sister?" Steven asked, startled.

"I just guessed. Why? Is there more to it?" Reid pried.

"Well," Steven started then cut himself off. "Why should I tell you?"

"You don't have to," Reid replied casually, knowing the more he knew about the unsub, the better he would understand why he had taken him and not another member of the team. "I was just asking."

Steven went back to looking through Reid's phone. He eventually admitted, "She wasn't my sister. Not really. We met in grade seven when we were placed in the same class. We sat next to each other." He seemed to be thinking out loud rather than talking to Reid.

"At first we just talked in class and helped each other out when needed. Then one day, I noticed a group of idiots bullying her. I told them off. It ended with a fist fight between me and the leader of their gang. I got away with a black eye, a cut on my cheek, and some small bruises. My opponent, however, ended up unconscious on the ground and carried away on a stretcher. He was only unconscious for a few hours and had a small depressed fracture...The rest of his gang became scared of me," he added with a small smile.

"We had no cameras at school, so it was hard for the teachers to decide whether I was acting out of self-defense or just had the urge to beat him. Luckily, Diane told the teachers that he hit me first after I'd asked him, very nicely, to stop bothering me. And from that time on, we were inseparable. Brother and sister from outsiders, she had called us. And that's exactly how I had put it, too." The smile had remained small, but widened with the memory. "Half way through high school, I realized I'd fallen for her…"

He cleared his throat. "We were both orphans at different foster homes. She had this idea to get a DNA test to find out who our birth parents were. So, we did. I put down my address for both test results. That gave me the chance to doctor the results, make it look like we were siblings. With that, it gave me another chance to see her after we graduated from different schools, for I was too much of a coward to tell her before we parted that I loved her."

"Now she's gone," Steven finished darkly. "Now she's gone and it's your fault."

"How is it my fault?" Reid asked, thinking over what he'd just heard. It makes sense that he'd go after me, thinking it was me who killed her.

"You made her commit suicide. You told her you loved her. You lied to her and then told her you'd die for that other woman. You didn't deserve her. You don't deserve anyone. You killed Diane."

"And you did?" Reid asked, knowing this would probably push the unsub's buttons- and that was exactly what he wanted. He looked around the room casually, looking for something to help...

"I did what?" Steven asked, looking up from Reid's phone.

"You didn't deserve Diane. You admit to yourself you were a coward. If you could so much as say you liked her, then why would you deserve her? Plus, I'm pretty sure girls don't like murdering scumbags who deal drugs," Reid said as his eyes fell on a pair of handcuffs on a table a few feet away.

Steven put Reid's phone down. "How did you know about that?" He stood up.

"You just told me," Reid replied. Steven cursed. He went for the gun he'd set down before he'd taken Reid's phone, but Reid got to it first. He pointed it at Steven. "Stay where you are." Steven obliged.

Reid stood up and retrieved his phone. He walked over to the table with the handcuffs, keeping his eyes locked on Steven. He picked up the handcuffs and noticed the phone was in a middle of call.

"Who's on the phone?" Reid asked Steven. Steven smiled.

"Pick it up and ask for yourself," Steven invited.

Reid glared at Steven as he put the handcuffs down and brought the phone back to his ear. "Hello, this is Doctor Spencer Reid with the FBI. I need you to tell me your name."

"Spencer?" the woman on the other end asked breathlessly.

"Do I know you?" Reid asked, thinking the voice sounded familiar. The other end of the line went silent. Reid waited for a minute before he spoke, "Hello?"

"Yes?" the woman asked. Reid stopped short. The voice…

"Thomas Merton," he whispered without thought. The other person hung up. Reid put the phone down and picked up the hand cuffs. "Who was that?" Reid asked Steven.

"You know who that was," he said, a smirk on his face. "Who do you think it was?"

"Someone you're blackmailing… or something... Who was it?" Reid demanded.

Steven shrugged. "You already guessed who it was."

"Right, well, I think my team mates will want to know so we can arrest you now," Reid said and walked over to Steven and secured one of the handcuffs around his right wrist. He began to drag Steven out, at gun point, towards the front door and to the stop sign. Reid hooked the other cuff to the post sign and pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"How did you guess that I deal drugs?" Steven asked as Reid dialed Hotch's number.

"The people who kidnapped me were saying they hoped you could get them some drugs," Spencer replied. He clicked the call button and put the phone up to his ear.

"Reid?" Hotch's voice asked.

"Yep. I've got our unsub cuffed to a sign out front of a house."

"You're joking," Morgan's voice accused.

"Am I?" Reid asked as he moved his phone away from his mouth and took a picture of Steven. He sent it.

"How did you manage that?" Blake asked. "We thought he was holding you captive."

"He was. He didn't tie me up or anything and had put the gun down," Reid filled in. "I suggest you get down here soon. His druggie friends are most likely heading their way. Oh, and he deals drugs," Reid mentioned too late.

"We'll be right there," Hotch said and hung up.

Reid dialed Garcia's number and waited.

"Reid?" Garcia asked. Before she could say how great it was to hear from him, Reid interrupted.

"Yep. Can you find out the last call sent or received from this landline?"

"Yeah, give me a sec." Garcia started typing. "Why do you wanna know?"

"I have reasons," Reid replied.

"You gonna tell me the reasons?" Garcia asked.

"You gonna tell me who was on the other end of the call?" Reid asked, impatient.

"Okay… The call was sent to a cell phone in your unsub's name from-" Garcia stopped mid-sentence.

"From?" Reid prompted.

"Maeve's old apartment," Garcia replied slowly, apparently confused.

"I knew it. Thanks, Garcia." Reid then hung up and turned to Steven. "Who was on the other end of the call?"

"You know who," Steve insisted.

"Right… Why are you renting Maeve's old apartment?" Reid questioned.

"You should know that, too." Steven taunted.

"Do you admit to the murders of two Jane Does and the kidnapping of Nicole Brown and Brianna Wilson and fifty other women?" Reid asked.

"The murders of the Jane Does, yes. The kidnapping, no. They're dead," Steven surprisingly confessed. "Their bodies are in my basement."

"Great," Reid said. Then he saw the cars coming up the street and waved.

"Do you know where the girls are?" Rossi asked when the team got to where Reid and the unsub stood.

"He said he killed them. Their bodies are in the basement," Reid replied. "He also admitted to drug dealing and the Jane Doe murders."

"Anything else you found out?" Blake asked.

"Yeah, he isn't really Diane's brother. Rather, he loved her, couldn't tell her, and, when they got a DNA test, faked hers to match his, making it seem like they were siblings," Reid replied. "There really was no need. Diane knew she wasn't really his sister," Reid added.

"What? Really?" Steven asked.

"Yeah," Reid replied. "She knew you were cousins. By marriage, that is."

"What?" Steven asked again, confused.

Reid ignored him and walked back towards the house. He went down the hall towards the kitchen and opened the door next to it. He hollered down, "Hello?"

"Help us!" a voice cried immediately. Nicole appeared at the foot of the stairs. She was chained.

"I'll be right back. I'll bring help," Reid promised and ran out of the house. "The girls are alive," Reid told the rest of the team. "But I need the keys. They're chained." Reid thought for a second, picturing the living room where he had been held. "No, scratch that. I need help getting them out."

Reid dashed into the living room and picked up the keys off the desk behind the chair where Steven had put him. Reid then walked back into the hall and down the basement stairs.

Reid unlocked the chains. He helped Brianna up the stairs while Morgan came and helped Nicole. Hotch then took the girls and Reid to the hospital while the rest of the team drove Steven back to the police department.

The doctor announced Reid was fine and the girls will eventually recover. Hotch took Reid back to the police station where they were going to stay the night, and, finally, they left for home the next day.

Meanwhile at Quantico...

Garcia picked up her phone. "Hello?"

"Garcia?" a woman's voice asked.

"That's me. Who are you?" Garcia asked, panic flooding through her. The voice… It belonged to someone dead.

"You know who I am, though you've never met me," the woman said.

"But… you're dead," Garcia replied.

The woman slightly chuckled. "Obviously not. Did Spencer catch Steven? Is he going to jail?"

"Yes," Garcia responded, "Why?"

"Because I have to apologize to Spencer," the woman replied.

"Why?" Garcia asked. "Why come back now?"

"Because I knew Steven was still after me and I also knew he was out for Spencer's blood. I thought it was safer to fake my death than hide from Steven. Not like it worked anyways," the woman mumbled.

"Why didn't you come back after you realized it wasn't going to work," Garcia asked.

"Because Steven was threatening me," the woman replied.

"Why did you call me?" Garcia inquired.

"Because I was wondering if you could help me," the woman said.

"With what?"

"Telling Spencer."

Garcia took a deep breath. "Okay. How do you wanna do it?"

"I 'died' at 10:01 a year ago tomorrow. I want to surprise him," the woman replied.

"Tomorrow, as in Wednesday, right?" Garcia asked.

"Yes."

"You wanna come over to my place so we can discuss this idea further?" Garcia asked.

"Does that mean you'll help?" the woman asked hopefully.

"Help? Me? No. I'm setting this up," Garcia said.

"Oh, thank you so much!" the woman said.

"When do you wanna meet up?" Garcia asked.

"Whenever is fine."

"Right. Be at my apartment in half an hour. I'm going to text you the address when you hang up, ok?"

"Great. Thank you," the woman said again and hung up.


	6. Chapter 6

Reid woke to the sound of a phone ringing. He sat up, as did the rest of the team, to check if it was their phone ringing. It was Hotch's that was ringing.

Hotch answered the phone, "Hotchner." Then after a pause, "Garcia, you need to slow down." An other pause. "What?" Hotch had a shocked and confused look on his face.

"What?" Morgan asked, but Hotch silenced him by raising his hand.

"And you know it's her how?" Hotch asked. Then there was a pause, "Put her on then." A slight pause as the phone was handed to this mysterious person. "Yes, but why now?" A pause. "And you're sure?" Pause. "Right. Why didn't you explain before?" Then a pause. "Oh... Okay, right, and I assume he knows nothing?" A longer pause this time, as if the person on the other side was giving a speech or talking about something they'd been waiting to explain for a long time, in detail. "If you're sure. Put Garcia back on please." There a slight pause while the phone was handed back to Garcia. "Why didn't you tell me last night?" There was a good sized pause, suggesting Garcia had a good reason. "Ok, I'm going to stop you there. I understand do you want me to put him on?" There was a small pause. "Right, okay." Hotch turned to the rest of the team. "Rossi?" He held out the phone.

Rossi took the phone. "Hello?" There a pause where it seemed something was being explained. "Oh my god. Why?" An other pause, an other thing explained. "I understand. Do you need anything? Can I help in any way?" There was a pause where something was asked and Rossi thought for a minute. "Ok. Do it. But put her on for a second please." An other slight pause. "You're luck, I hope you realize this. If it wad for most other people I would have said no. I suggest not pulling anything like that again." A small pause, like someone was promising something. "Right, who do I put on?" Rossi turned to the team. "Blake?" He held out the phone.

Blake stood and took the phone. "Hello?" There was pause and then Blake sat down abruptly and paled like she'd seen a ghost. "Oh god. If this is a joke it isn't funny." There a pause, then Blake said, "Put her on then." The was a small pause, as the other phone once again changed hands. "It's really you. Do you know what you caused?" The was a pause. "Then why wait? Why act?" An other pause. "And you're sure that's how it would have gone?" Pause. "And you know he'll accept you're apology and act as if nothing happened?" A small pause. "No? Then why come back now, of all time's?" An other pause, slightly longer than few minutes. "Oh my god... I'm sorry. I know he'll forgive you. He still misses you I think. Who do I put on now?" Blake turned to the team. "Morgan?" She held out the phone.

Morgan took the phone. "Yes?" The customary pause at this point. "Oh shit, it's-" The person on the end of the call cut Morgan off. "Exactly. Why now?" Pause. "Ok. Tell Ms. Ghost number 2, that if she harms him in any way again, she'll have me to answer to." There was a small pause then Morgan laughed. "Right, I'll remember that. I assume I give the phone to..." Morgan turned to the team. "JJ?" He held out the phone.

JJ took the phone. "Hello?" Yet again, the same pause in the same place. JJ put her hand over her mouth and paled slightly. "You're kidding." There was a pause. "This is so not funny Garcia." JJ warned. A pause. "Fine, you do that." There was a slight pause, during which the phone changed hands. JJ gasped and turned a shade paler. "Oh my god... But... And then... And you..." The person on the other end of the line interrupted causing yet an other pause. "And you're coming back? For real?" There was a pause in which the other person obviously said 'yes'. "And you expect him to just accept you're back?" An other pause. "So you hope he does?" Pause. "And you think the rest of us will accept this?" Pause. "Then what?" An other pause. "Garcia told you what happened?" Pause. "And you realize that you caused that?" Yet again, a pause. JJ gave a small laugh then stopped herself. "I will help Morgan with whatever he plans should anything like that ever happen again." Pause. JJ laughed again, letting herself laugh a bit longer than before. "There's something funny about that line, you know." JJ gave a last chuckle. "So what do I do with the phone." Pause. "Alright. Could you put Garcia back on the phone?" Again pause. "When did you find out?" Pause. "Why didn't you call?" Pause. "All night?" JJ frowned to an other pause. "So what's gonna happen?" Pause. "Right, so you have some work to do. We'll talk when I get back. Tell her that too." Pause. "Alright. Bye" JJ hang up and handed the phone back to Hotch.

Reid sat in the corner confused while the other five team mates whispered in two groups, Hotch, Rossi and Morgan and JJ and Blake. Reid pulled his book out and began to read, hoping at some point the team would explain what was going on. If not, Reid didn't care. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He brought it out and saw he'd received a text from Garcia. It read: Reid, I have a surprise for when you get back.

What is it? Reid texted back. Moments later a picture was sent to his phone. In the picture was a cute little kitten about two months or so old. The kitten was all white except for two little black patches on it's front paws. The kitten's eye's were a beautiful light blue and Garcia had tied a pink ribbon around it's neck. But that's a kitten. Reid texted back.

I know that. Her name's Miyuki. Was Garcia's reply. Ah, 'Beautiful Snow' in Japanese. How did you pick it? Reid asked. I may have had help. Garcia replied. From who? Reid asked. A friend. Do you like Miyuki? Garcia asked.

Reid laughed, causing the team look over at him. She certainly fit's her name. Why are you giving her to me? Reid asked. Because I am. I have everything you need to take care of her. See you when you get back. Reid sighed, knowing Garcia wasn't going answer to anything. He went to put his phone when JJ came over.

"What's up?" JJ asked.

"Not much. Apparently Garcia got me a kitten," Reid replied.

"Really? Did she send a picture?" JJ asked. Reid turned his phone back on and went to the picture. "Awwww! What's it's name?"

"Miyuki. It mean's 'Beautiful Snow' in Japanese," Reid replied.

"Awwww!" JJ said.

"I want everyone at the plane in an hour" Hotch announced from across the room. Reid put his phone away and grabbed a suit from his suitcase. Then headed for the bathroom. When he got back to the room they'd slept in he had the feeling that he'd interrupted a conversation. The rest of the team watched him as he put the clothes he'd slept in in his suitcase and grabbed his suitcase and satchel and headed for the car's they had parked out front.

Reid put his suit case and satchel in the back, taking out his book, and asked one of the policemen for direction to the closest coffee shop. He walked the few blocks and as he went he thought of the mysterious woman that had been on the phone with Garcia. He kept coming back to one person. One person he hadn't seen in a long time. One person he assumed stole his book back. One person he had watched die before his eye's. One person who he'd spent two weeks depressed on his couch, clutching said stolen book and eating nuts and chocolate and ice cream. None of which had help anything. One of the only reaccurring thought's he'd had during those week's had been of the quote that one person had written in the stolen book. Love is our one true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life on our own. We find it with an other. Said Thomas Merton.

Reid ordered a coffee and a muffin, as he usually did in the morning. He sat at the back of the little coffee shop and read his book as he drank his coffee and ate his muffin. fifteen minute's later he walked back to the police station.

The drive to the airport was as uneventful as the flight it's self. Reid could, however tell, the rest of the team kept looking at him. Reid ignored this and finished his book. Then moved on to an other he'd also packed.

When they landed they drove to the office to do paper work. However there was a minor distraction, when they got to the office to find Reid's desk covered with things to help take care of a cat. At the bottom of the pile was a litter box. Inside that was two bags of kitten kibble, a small bag of cat treats, a few toys, a little bed type thing for cat's and dogs, a scoop and a dish for the food and water. And under the desk was a box of litter to go in the litter box.

"What's this?" Hotch asked, as the team studied the foreign objects on Reid's desk.

"I'm pretty sure it's stuff to take care of a kitten," Reid replied.

"But what is it doing here?" Hotch demanded.

"Go asked Garcia," Reid said. "This wasn't my idea."

At this point Garcia walked in carrying a kitten that looked like it was half a sleep, like it had just been woken up. Miyuki yawned, making a suck noise when she tried to hold it back.

"Why is that cat in this office?" Hotch asked, his eye's narrowed slightly.

"Because I couldn't trust it at my house and it's for Reid," Garcia responded, walking over to Reid's desk. She put the kitten on the desk and it immediately lay down and closed it's eye's like it was going back to sleep. Reid sat down in his chair and the rest of the team gathered around his desk, all staring at the kitten. Eventually the kitten looked up and Reid could have sworn her expression read, Don't you people have better things to do?

"Well, don't just stare at her," Garcia said. "Miyuki's a cat. She won't kill you."

"No, but she will bite and scratch," Reid said, causing Garcia to laugh. All the same he reached over and began stroking the kitten softly. Miyuki began to pur. Reid stroked her like that for a few minutes, then went to scratching behind her ear and slowly went down her cheek and to her neck. Then he stopped and she open her eye's a bit to glare up at Reid and interrupted her purring briefly with a meow. Reid chuckled and went back to stroking Miyuki's soft fur and Miyuki closed her eye's again.

"You've had a cat before," Garcia accused. Reid had almost forgotten the team was watching.

"Yeah, my mom had one. And sometimes there were cat that showed up from the woods at the high school I went to. I would sometimes read there and they'd come to say hi and get a treat," Reid explained.

"She can stay for today, but I don't want to see her in the office again," Hotch warned as Reid scratched behind Miyuki's ears again and she turned her head and began to lick Reid's hand.

"I understand," Reid said. Reid pulled his hand away from Miyuki and moved the pile of cat stuff off his desk, then grabbed the bed thing and put it where the pile had been. Reid then picked the kitten up and set her down in the bed. Miyuki sat there staring at Reid.

A few hour's after lunch Miyuki started meowing again, so Reid gave her some food and water. Miyuki ate and drank, then jumped onto Reid's lap where she curled up and went to sleep again. As it got closer to time to go home Miyuki woke up again and started meowing again, this time for the litter box. So Reid took the toys and other things from the litter box and poured a small amount of litter into the box. then got up to go get a bag to put her business in when she was done.

When Reid got back he found Rossi holding Miyuki and stroking her. Miyuki seemed to like it. Reid used the scoop to deal with the litter box then tied the bag and went to find a garbage bag to dump it in. Rossi followed.

"Hey, Reid, I was planing on inviting the team over for dinner tonight, and I was wondering if you's come?" Rossi asked bluntly.

Reid tossed the bag in the garbage, "Sure, what time should I be there?" Reid had planed on having a Doctor Who marathon, as he'd just recently got all of the Tom Baker's he could find, but he thought he'd be better off hanging out with the team on tonight of all nights.

"I was planing on waiting for Hotch. If you don't mind waiting you can bring Miyuki," Rossi offered.

"Ok, but you're sure you want to wait until midnight?" Reid asked, and Rossi laughed.

"No, he's decided to make an exception and will be leaving around quarter to nine," Rossi said, then handed Miyuki over to Reid, then offered "Assuming you've finished your paperwork, you can play with her in my office."

"Really? Thanks, but I don't want to mess up your office," Reid declined. "And besides, she seems to be sleepy more than anything. As long as that keeps up for-" Reid looked down at his watch. "-for an other two hours and fifteen minutes, we should be fine. If not I'm giving her to Garcia. Her idea, she can handle it for a while. Then again, she was probably up all night with her."

"What?" Rossi asked.

"Well, Garcia seems really tired today, didn't you notice?" Reid asked.

"Yeah, I noticed. Her outfit seemed to be screaming softer than usual," Rossi said and Reid laughed.

"I'll go back to my desk and put her back to bed," Reid said, indicating to Miyuki, as he began to walk away.

"Reid?" Reid turned back. "Garcia said to tell you that if she ever hears of you holding information like that again she'll make sure every computer, laptop and cell phone you shut down for good."

"What information?" Reid asked.

"She said you got all the Tom Baker episodes of Doctor Who. She was upset you didn't tell her you found them," Rossi stated.

"Yeah, right. I happen to know she has more than all the Tom Baker's, Christopher Ecceleston's, David Tennant's and Matt Smith's," Reid said and walked back to his desk, thinking Rossi probably didn't even know what he was talking about, or why that was impressive.

When Reid got back to his desk he put Miyuki on her bed and went into his email. There were no new emails.

As quarter to nine ticked closer, Reid found himself watching the first Tom Baker episode he'd downloaded, which he'd emailed himself, as back up, with his headphones. Then Garcia tapped him on the shoulder and told him they were leaving now. Morgan and JJ helped him and Garcia carry the kitten stuff to his car. as soon as they'd finished a parade of 7 cars drove away from the boring office building and towards Rossi's mansion.

Dinner was relatively normal, if not strangely happy, for the team's dinner's. Everyone talked, laughed, and had a great time. Then after dinner Rossi convinced everyone to stay for the night. Five to ten rolled around to find Rossi and Hotch talking on a couch, Morgan texting in a chair, Garcia and JJ chatting in an other couch and Reid laying on the floor playing with his kitten.

Reid pulled on the tail of the stuffed toy mouse before Miyuki and as she watched it her tail twitched. Five minute's till the surprise. Reid pulled the mouse further away and Miyuki prepared herself to pounce. Reid tugged the mouse one last time and Miyuki pounced, digging her claws and fangs into the fabric of the toy. Four minute's to go. Miyuki continued to claw and bite on the toy mouse. Three minutes to go. Miyuki stood and walked away from the toy, satisfied with herself. Two minutes. Miyuki sat down watching the toy closely, making sure she'd got it. One minute left. The door bell rang causing Miyuki to run for under the couch and Rossi got up to answer the door. The clock struck 10:01 as the late Maeve Donovan walked through the door's to Rossi's living room.


	7. Chapter 7

Reid stared at Maeve. He'd suspected she was alive from the second he saw her writing on the note in place of the book. He'd suspected she was alive when he'd heard her on the phone at Steven's. He'd suspected she was alive when Garcia called first thing in the morning and talked to everyone but him. He'd suspected he'd see her again when Rossi invited him to his house for dinner. But suspecting was a far cry from actually seeing her in person.

Reid staring at Maeve the way he had a year and five minutes ago exactly. He was staring at Maeve like he was a blind man seeing for the first time in his life, like, just as he suspected, Maeve was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen or would ever see. He was vaguely aware that Rossi was herding the rest of the team from the room, he was vaguely aware that he was standing up, vaguely aware that he dropped the mouse toy. His thought's only on the biggest miracle he'd could've ever wished for, but never did. He saw Maeve laying in a pool of blood, her face relaxed, a single tear streaming down her face. He could feel his system's one by one shutting down as his mind battle with his eye's. She's right there, but she died a year ago. Logic was going one on one with facts, both at an impasse.

Maeve looked somewhat different than she had before she 'died'. Her bangs where side swept and the rest was to her elbow. She was wearing a purple top with a purple plaid button up over that and dark blue jeans

"But you died," Reid accused.

"Not doing to bad for a dead girl I am then?" Maeve had a slight smile on her face that tinged with sadness, like she was expecting something awful to happen.

Reid gave a half laugh, "Was this Garcia's idea? Coming here I mean?"

"Yeah, why?" Maeve asked.

"Oh, no reason," Reid said, "It's just she and Rossi are in a room, probably hidden somewhere off his bedroom, watching us on camera," Reid pointed to the chandelier over the dinning room table. "And, as there was probably only room enough for two or three people, the rest of the team are in the hall, eavesdropping."

"And you know this how?" Maeve asked, looking slightly amused for some strange reason.

"Well, I'm pretty sure I heard Morgan cough and whisper something then JJ told him to shut up, causing Blake to sigh and Hotch to wonder why they were eavesdropping, and not waiting to talk to me about this tomorrow or something. And I'm assuming Garcia called Emily or something?" Reid was smiling slightly.

"Yeah, the woman in London?" Maeve confirmed.

"Well, she's probably watching us to. Am I right Garcia?" Reid asked.

"Yep," Garcia's voice echoed through a hidden PA system. "She says hi."

"Hi," Reid said. "OH, and look! Even the Miyuki's watching us!" Reid pointed to the couch where said kitten's head was poking out from under. When she saw Reid looking at her she got a deer-in-the-head-lights look on and turned and ran back under the couch.

"You want to go somewhere more private?" Maeve offered.

"Coffee?" Reid asked

"More like-" Maeve began.

"Tea," Reid finished. Maeve nodded and Rid moved across to the doors and held them open for Maeve to go first. Maeve lead the way out, but Reid stopped in the hall and whisper to Morgan, "I'll be talking to you all about this tomorrow. Tell Garcia and Rossi that, too"

Once they were outside Maeve closed the door and turned to Reid, "So Garcia told me you said if you could talk with me again you'd say sorry. Why would you apologize? What for?"

"For getting you killed," Reid answered, honestly, looking somewhere over Maeve's shoulder. He believed it was his fault.

Maeve crossed her arms. "How did you get me killed?" Maeve asked, "You didn't force her to pull the trigger."

"But if... I'd kissed her better..." Reid couldn't finish that sentence. It had bothered him all of the last year. It was his fault. His fault. His fault she died.

Maeve rolled her eye's, "If you'd have kissed her better she would have killed me anyways," Maeve said. "Your kiss didn't get me killed, Reid. And this-" Maeve leaned forwards and pressed her lips to Reid's kissing him. Reid stood stiff, shocked, for a few seconds before relaxing and kissing Maeve back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his arms around her waist. When they pulled back, panting lightly, they remained with their arms around each other. "-is exhibit 'A'." Maeve finished and they both smiled.

"Oi! You two! Keep it PG out there!" Rossi warned. Said the guy that's had 3 wives, Reid thought.

Maeve laughed, "Camera's outside, too. Great."

Reid laughed, too, "Better get out of here before Garcia decides to post this on YouTube and turn it into a viral video."

They walked to Reid's car hand-in-hand. Reid hopped in the driver's seat and Maeve took the passenger's seat. "Miyuki's your's?" Maeve asked, spotting the cat supplies in the back.

"Oh, right," Reid was half out of the car when Garica's voice came on over the PA.

"No. I'm watching Miyuki tonight," Garcia said.

"But," Reid started, but Garcia stopped him there.

"My cat tonight. Bye," Garcia stated.

Reid got back in the car and shut the door, "God help that cat. It'll be smothered with to much love tonight, I swear," Reid commented, and Maeve laughed.

"So, where are we going?" Reid asked.

"Your place? Cause mine is..." Maeve's voice trailed off.

"Yours is?" Reid prompted.

"You know how you spent to weeks on your couch after I died?" Maeve asked, and Reid nodded. "Well, I never really stopped and my place is a bit of a mess."

"It can't be that bad," Reid said, then saw the look on Maeve's face. It clearly said, If you don't believe me, have a look. "What did you do? Chuck your stuff everywhere?"

"Yeah," Maeve said shamelessly.

"Oh, well. Can't judge, did the same thing," Reid said. "Right, your place it is." Reid started his car and pulled out of Rossi's driveway.

"Why?" Maeve asked.

"Because nobody can function properly in a pig sty," Reid said, then added. "Well maybe Morgan can, but normal people can't."

Maeve laughed, "You don't know what your getting your self into." Reid laughed.

"Do your parent know you're alive?" Reid asked.

"No," Maeve answered, looking down.

"Then who was paying your rent and stuff?" Reid asked then answered his own question. "No, let me guess. Steven, and he used it as blackmail. Well, that and he threatened to come after me." Maeve nodded. "Are you going to tell your parents?"

"No," Maeve said. "Not yet." Then she laughed. "They'd kill me properly. They wouldn't take it as calmly as you seem to be. Why are you so calm? I expected screaming, running, and quite possibly crying."

"Because at first I assumed it was a dream. Then you kissed and now I'm just happy to know that, no, it's not a dream. That your back," Reid said, then quoted, "'Love is the flower of life, and blossoms unexpected and without law, and it is to be picked where it is found and enjoyed for the brief hour of it's duration.'"

"D.H. Lawrence," Maeve said.

Reid smiled and nodded, "'Love is our one true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life ourselves alone. We find it with an other.'"

"Thomas Merton," Maeve said.

"Thomas Merton," Reid repeated, as they pulled into Maeve's apartment building's parking lot.

They walked up the stairs to her place in silence and holding hands. Maeve opened the door to her apartment and Reid felt his eye's widen and his jaw drop, "I was expecting bad, but at lest at my place you could see floor."

Maeve giggled slight, in spite of herself, "I did warn you."

"Right, I'll take the books, you take the clothes," Reid offered, and they began to straighten out the unnatural disaster before them.

Maeve went around picking up all her clothes and other thing's such as candy wrappers and chip bags and such, while Reid collect all of the book and put them in piles of 10. Then Maeve sat and watched as Reid put the books into alphabetical order according to the author, then date of original publication.

"So you'll need a place to stay?" Reid asked, as he place an other book in it's proper pile.

"Umm, actually need. Steven only paid up until yesterday. I have an other week to move out," Maeve answered.

"Well, you could stay with me if you want," Reid offered, keeping his eye's on the book's he was sorting.

"Really?" Maeve asked, seeming at a loss for words.

"If you want too," Reid replied, still staring at the books before him.

"Wow, Spencer," Maeve said, her voice barely louder than a whisper, "That's so nice."

"Well, I suppose the alternative is tell your parents and having them kill you, so, yeah, I'd say it's a pretty nice offer," Reid nodded.

"Oh, no, when I tell me parent your coming with me, armed with your gun," Maeve said and Reid laughed.

Reid stood up then looked back down at what he'd been working on. He bent down and flipped the place of two books, "There, finished." Then Reid sat on the couch next to Maeve. "I don't suppose you have duffle bags or suitcases?"

"Yeah, a duffle bag and two suitcases, why?" Maeve asked.

"Because Morgan may or may not have followed us and he may or may not be parked out there, waiting," Reid said, "And I may or may not have a prank in mind."

"Oh, really? What is it?" Maeve asked, looking very interested.

"Do you mind hiding in a suitcase?" Reid asked.

"What are you planing?" Maeve asked, looking bemused.

"I have this book and it's not in the best condition, the pages are falling out and the cover's falling off, and I recently got a new copy. I was thinking it's time to bury it somewhere nice. Maybe that park we pasted a couple blocks back," Reid said, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"And he won't see me if I'm in the suitcase," Maeve continued, smiling as well.

"And he'll wonder what I'm doing, carrying suitcases and duffle bags out to my car then driving in the opposite direction, away from my place," Reid finished, "then dragging one into the woods."

Maeve laughed and went to get the suitcases and the duffle bag. She handed Reid a suitcase for the books and she stuffed her cloths in the duffle bag. "You are lucky you have big suit cases," Reid commented, "There's room for that book you have hiding in the drawer in the kitchen."

"You know where I hid the book?" Maeve asked.

"No," Reid said. "I guessed when you closed the drawer before I could go in the kitchen. And I know it was you who took the book because you left a note."

"Yeah, probably should have printed it or something," Maeve said.

"So are you gonna keep my book or can I have it back?" Reid asked.

"If you take the duffle bag and suitcase down, I'll get you the book," Maeve said.

"Alright then. I'll be right back," Reid said and picked up the duffle bag and grabbed the handle on suitcase. He carefully dragged the suitcase down the stairs behind him and put both the duffle bag and the suitcase in the trunk of his car. Then Reid walked to Morgan's car and knocked on the window, "Hello."

"Hey, Reid," Morgan said, fake smile in place, acting casual, like he frequently followed his friends to their girlfriends houses.

"Following me are you?" Reid asked.

"No, but Garcia asked me to bring you Miyuki," Morgan replied.

"Alright," Reid replied and pulled out his phone. He ignored Morgan's demands to know what he was doing as he dialed Garcia's number, "Hey Garcia, did you send Morgan with Miyuki?"

"No, why?" Garcia asked.

"Because he's been following me and he has Miyuki apparently," Reid replied.

"No, he doesn't because I have her here, with me," Garcia countered, "Wait... He took Miyuki."

"You wanna talk to him?" Reid asked and Morgan suddenly looked panicked.

"Yeah, sure put him on," Garcia said and Reid handed Morgan the phone. Reid walked across the empty parking spots and leaned against his car and watched as Garcia's wrath made Morgan wince and apologize. Then Hotch got his turn and Morgan was suddenly looking very sorry. Then Blake and Rossi double teamed him and Morgan visibly shrank in his seat. Maeve came down just as JJ was getting her turn and she leaned against the car next to Reid, watching Morgan wince so hard the car shook and start getting out of the car.

"Reid, I'm sorry I followed you and then waited to follow you again. And I'm sorry for stealing your cat," Morgan said.

"Right, can I see my phone for a second?" Reid took his phone back, "What did you lot say to him?"

"Nothing," JJ replied.

"Oh, really, cause he was wincing so hard he shook his car. And in all honesty you guys were just as bad, eavesdropping. You all were," Reid said.

"I didn't really want to," Blake said, "I was just worried about you."

"Yeah, but you did. And you all are worried about me. Honestly? I'm fine," Reid said.

"Sorry," the team said.

"I know. See you tomorrow," Reid hung up and put his phone in his pocket. Reid looked up at Morgan, "You are right, paybacks are a bitch. What did the say to you?"

"Let's just say you never wanna get on Garcia's bad side. The rest pulled the 'you-should-be-ashamed-of-your-self' and 'you-should-know-better' cards," Morgan gave a half laugh, "Yeah, paybacks a bitch."

"Right, I suggest you leave now and I won't tell Garcia you left your door open and Miyuki tried to escape," Reid said and Morgan turned around to find Miyuki sitting on his seat, sniffing the air.

Morgan walked slowly over to his car and closed the door. "Do you wanna take her tonight?"

"No, thanks, I don't wanna get on Garcia's bad side," Reid said and Morgan laughed.

Morgan looked over at Maeve, then the book she was carrying. "Isn't that the book that was stolen?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah," Maeve answered.

"I did tell you, you'd think I was crazy if I told you who I thought took it," Reid shook his head and Morgan rolled his eye's.

"See you tomorrow," Morgan got in his car and drove away.

"You have everything or did you forget something?" Reid asked.

"I can't find my laptop case," Maeve admitted.

"It's in the drawer under your book case, the one on the left," Reid said and smiled as they began to walk back towards the apartment.

"What happened with Morgan?" Maeve asked.

"Oh, he told me he wasn't following, that Garcia had sent him with Miyuki. I called Garcia and the team took turn talking with him," Reid answered.

"You said that he was right and paybacks are a bitch. Is there a story behind that?" Maeve asked.

"Yeah. We where on a case and he thought it would be funny to give the public my number to call if they had any questions or anything," Reid replied.

"So what did you do?" Maeve asked.

"I record over his songs with my screaming and had Garcia call him and play the screaming that way too," Reid replied and they laughed as they reached Maeve's apartment. As they entered Wanted by Hunter Hayes began to play on what appeared to be a radio station playing on her laptop.

Reid looked at the screen and saw four different picture of him as the back drop. The top left one was when he was blind folded before Maeve died. The top right was when he saw Maeve for the first time after Diane had un-blindfolded him. The bottom left was him breaking down after Maeve 'died'. The bottom right was him being coaxed away by the rest of his team. "Steven?" Reid asked.

"He sent it and it became my background. I couldn't get rid of it," Maeve said.

"Did I really look like that?" Reid wondered out loud.

"Which one?" Maeve asked.

"Top right," Reid said, "What did you think I was thinking?"

"I wondered about that, but I couldn't come up with a answer," Maeve replied.

"I was thinking that I was right," When Maeve looked at him for further explanation Reid continued, "I was thinking the you were, without a doubt, the single most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my whole life and could ever hope to see."

Maeve stared at Reid, "Really?"

"Is that a surprise?" Reid asked, "I don't see how it could be. Nothings changed." Reid smiled.

Maeve wrapped her arms around Reid's neck and kissed him for the second time that night. Reid wrapped his arms around Maeve and kissed her back for the second time that night. They pulled apart as the song ended, both panting slightly. Maeve rested her head on Reid's shoulder

"No one's ever said that to me before," Maeve whispered.

"I gathered," Reid replied and they both laughed. Then Reid yawned, "What time is it?" Reid looked at the clock on the laptop. It read 12:37. Right, I'll get the case, you shut down the laptop, then I'll grab the suitcase and maybe we'll get to my place before sun rise. So much for watching Doctor Who tonight."

"You watch Doctor Who?" Maeve asked.

"Yeah, went to a convention as the Fourth," Reid replied, "You watch it?"

"Yeah, I went as Sarah Jane," Maeve smiled. They withdrew them arms somewhat reluctantly. Reid walked over to the bookcase and pulled the case out of the drawers as Maeve said, "You know there's a convention coming up and I was planing on going as Rose."

Reid laughed as he passed Maeve the case, "I've had the Tenth's outfit ready for a while now. Do you have any Tom Baker episodes?"

"No, but I've seen a few," Maeve answered as she unplugged the laptop and put it in it's case, "Let me guess, you have some?"

"Some? No, I have all of them," Reid said proudly as he grabbed the suit case, "I also have all of the ninth's, tenth's and eleventh's. And I've built a Dalek and a Tardis, the exterior and at an other place the interior, on Minecraft."

"You play Minecraft?" Maeve asked, a slight amount of amusement in her words.

They talked like this the whole way to Reid's apartment and once they arrived in the parking lot Reid grabbed the suitcase full of books and the duffle bag before Maeve could.

As they walked into Reid's apartment Reid said, "This is my place, or well our place I guess."

"Where's your computer?" Maeve asked.

"In the bedroom," Reid replied. "Why?"

"Garcia said there was a surprise on it," Maeve replied.

Reid parked the suitcase by the little kitchen and went into the bedroom, followed by Maeve. Reid dropped the duffle bag by the dresser and turned on his computer. Once he was logged in, Maeve gasped slightly at background. It was of four quotes:

'Love is our one true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves. We find it with an other.' Thomas Merton

'Death ends a life, not a relationship.' -Mitch Albom

'There are wounds that never show on the body, but that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds.' -Laurell K. Hamilton

'Love is the flower of life, and blossoms unexpectedly and without law, and must be picked where it is found and enjoyed for the brief hour of it's duration.' -D. H. Lawerence

Reid heard Maeve gasp but he didn't turn around, fore he knew she was gasping at the quotes. Instead he opened a file that was new and labeled 'Happy Birthday'. Inside were the Doctor Who's Garcia had but Reid didn't, "The Tech-Goddess strikes again."

"What?" Maeve asked.

"Garcia's sent me a load of Doctor Who's that I didn't have. It can't be good for the speed of my computer, but whatever," Reid replied.

"What's your password?" Maeve asked.

"You know what it is,why?" Reid asked.

"Cause I'm 'died' and a lot of free time and you have Doctor Who," Maeve responded, then thought for a minute, "Thomas Merton."

"Yep," Reid replied as he shut his computer off and got up, "Good night," Reid left the bedroom and walked over and sat on the couch.

"What're you doing?" Maeve asked.

"I'm going to read," Reid looked up at her, "Why?"

"It's like midnight and you were yawning before I was," Maeve replied.

"Oh, right, you take the bed, I'll sleep here," Reid said.

"But-" Maeve started and Reid cut her off.

"If it bother's you we can take turn's. Tomorrow night you can sleep out here and I'll take the bed, provided I'm here and not on a case," Reid offered.

"And-" Maeve was cut off once again.

"There's absolutely no point in arguing with me? No, there really isn't," Reid smiled and picked up his book.

When Reid woke to the sound of a frying pan hitting the tiles in his little kitchen the first things he realized were there was a blanket over him and a pillow under his head, and a very hard rectangular book under his back. Reid sat up and looked into the kitchen reaching for were his gun usually was on his belt before he realized it was only Maeve. Reid relaxed back then bolted back up. Maeve. So It wasn't a dream! She looked up at him, "Good morning, sorry if I woke you."

"Morning. Has my phone gone off?" Reid asked.

"About a minute ago, I was going to wake you once I'd put our breakfast on," Maeve replied.

"You don't have to cook me breakfast," Reid said.

"But I am," Maeve said.

"But-" Reid was cut of by Maeve.

"You're going to eat it and like it. Why don't you go get a shower and ready for work," Maeve suggested.

"Is-" Reid was cut off once again.

"There's absolutely no point in arguing with me. Go," Maeve pointed at the bedroom. Reid laughed but got up and got his shower anyways. They ate breakfast and talked. Then Reid did the dishes and took off for work. And for the first time in a long time, Reid didn't stop for coffee and a muffin at the little coffee shop a few blocks away. Reid got to the office and into the elevator with Blake and Morgan. Morgan kept asking him how last night went and Blake tried to look as if she wasn't listening. Reid ignored them. In the conference room Garcia told them about a serial murderer in Colorado. When they finished Reid went to his desk.

Reid turned on his computer and went to check his email as he usually did first thing in the morning at the office. At the very top of his inbox was an email and the subject was Zugzwang. Reid felt panic flowing through him as he opened the email. It read:

Dear Dr. Spencer Reid, BAU, FBI,

We're not happy that you've put one of our leader's behind bars and killed an other. We'll bring you down for what you've done to our leader's. Enjoy your self while you can.

Zugzwang.

Reid stood up quickly and ran for Hotch's office. "Hotch, I think we have a problem." Then Reid's phone went off in his pocket.

"Spencer?" Maeve asked through the phone, she sounded like she was on the verge of panicking.

"What's happened?" Reid asked.

"I was watching Doctor Who and suddenly it was some random guys in black with their hoods up. They were threatening both me and you and they said," Maeve said but Reid finished her sentence for her.

"Zugzwang," Reid looked up at Hotch. "Make that two problems."


End file.
